[charliehuang7]

Hey guys
When shopping for a new pair of IEM after getting sick of the stock ipod ones, I came across the reviews and suggestions on the board. Following the comments I bought the brainwavz m1 which i was more than satisfied. A month later, I had the chance to sell it for a good price and so I did and again followed the recommendations of the fourm and got the re0. Unfortunately, I have to say that I am not as impressed with the re0 (I still really enjoy it though), perhaps due to my sound preference, it sounds a bit boring...?
 
 
Given that I listen to a lot of Asian pop songs and the typical R&B, pop, rap, and clubbing music, plus occasional classical music, what would be the suggestion if I had the opportunity to sell the re0 and purchase a new pair of IEM? 
 
side note: I wear them to the gym too, the microphonics dont bother me as much since I just need something to keep me distracted.
 
thanks! =D

 

[yello131]

Based on your list of IEM, your budget is quite small. Well, if you can extend your budget a bit  you can get Radius DDM,  best value IEMs on the market without a  doubt. There are plenty of reviews on the forum so you can get an idea how wonderful this "beast" are..

 

[goodvibes]

Personally, I'd get a used pair of Etymotic HF5s or some Phonak 112s.

 

[dziendobry]

based on what music you mostly listen to and that you will be using them at the gym I would take a look at the shure SE215.  I didn't see a budget mentioned in your post.

 

[singha]

If you liked your brainwavz m1's why not get the m2's. It's supposed to be a decent upgrade from the M1's (havent actually heard the M1's). Maybe give the monster turbines a try since you want a change from you Re-0's.

 

[goodvibes]

You guys are recommending completely different sigs than his M1s. Could be he would like more bass than his M!s but I just wanted to post this to make sure Charlie understands that will be the case with the DDMs 215s and M2s. The ones I recommended go lower than the M1s but don't have more midbass. Not extra top either but a bit more extended than the M1. Clearer and less congested overall which you'd expect for the extra outlay. The phonal has the fiter options so gives some wiggle room for sig.

 

[s0lar]

Instead of trying a different IEM, you could get an amp for your RE0.
The M1 has very forward mids while the RE0 has recessed mids. By pulling out the foam in the nozzles, the mids will become less recessed but sibilance might become a problem. Try the mod and/or an amp. An amp brings out very tight and puchy bass. Great quality, low quantity ofcourse.
With the IEM's you now own, you have a midfocused and a treblefocused IEM.
There's one other focus, bass, one good contender is already been mentioned, the DDM. But comfort, microphonics and isolation are not it's strong points, great sound is.

 

[charliehuang7]

hey guys thanks for the suggestions. 
 
goodvibes, its true, my roommate actually has the etymotic HF5s and I was very impressed by its sound, and even more so on the isolation. 
 
s0lar, I did look into amps, is there one that you would recommend? probably something more on the budget side, because if it costed more, wouldn't it make more sense to just go for a higher tier IEM?
 

 

[adirere]

I think he should try one of the Xears line models.

 

[s0lar]

An amp is never a bad idea. If you like a warmer sound, you can combine any IEM with that warm amp so you will like the sound more. If you like like transparancy, get a transparant amp,...
Since the RE0 is bright, a warm amp does wonders for it. Most amps are warm or at least slightly warm.
Depending on your budget and features you are looking for you can get a Fiio E7, Soundmagic A10, iBasso T3, Corda XXS, iBasso D4,...
Those are just some of the more common amps people suggest here.
I have the iBasso D4 and Corda XXS and had the iBasso T4, that last one was a great match with my RE0, but the Corda XXS brought out more transparancy, but did sacrafice a little on the bass. The iBasso T4 is out of production and although the T3 is superior, it lacks some of the T4's warmth.
The Fiio E7 has a lot of happy owners and with its built-in DAC it's a very logical choice, it has a warm sound and offers a lot of bang for the buck.
Other budget choices are the Soundmagic A10 and Linearossa W1 (runs on 2 AAA's!).
I liked the portability of my iBasso T4, now I mainly use the Corda XXS and on my laptop the iBasso D4 with the built-in DAC.
So in short, you can add emphasize some parts of the spectrum with an amp. Most (budget) amps are bass-focussed, but there are midfocused amps as well.
 
 

 

[charliehuang7]

ic ic,
 
looking at the amp price, i think it would probably be a better idea to just sell my re0 and add some money into purchasing another IEM? 
 
Looking at a price tag around 100, it looks like i can either go for an etymotic HF5, or probably the m2 (I was under the impression that the re0 should have better sound than the m2)?
 
I guess my preference on sound is i like everything nice and crisp, very clear, and not mushy, bass is good but I dont need a lot (my computer speakers are the soundstick II, and I am completely in love with them) 
 
suggestions?

 

[nizarp]

Quote:

ic ic,
 
looking at the amp price, i think it would probably be a better idea to just sell my re0 and add some money into purchasing another IEM? 
 
Looking at a price tag around 100, it looks like i can either go for an etymotic HF5, or probably the m2 (I was under the impression that the re0 should have better sound than the m2)?
 
I guess my preference on sound is i like everything nice and crisp, very clear, and not mushy, bass is good but I dont need a lot (my computer speakers are the soundstick II, and I am completely in love with them) 
 
suggestions?

I own both Brainwavz M1 and M2. IMO, the M2 has a different sound signature than M1. M2 has more emphasis on the bass and the bass quantity is much more compared to M1. But M1 is more balanced in comparison and it is more relaxing as well. I prefer the sound of M1 over the M2 for my tastes.
 
I think the Silver Bullet is supposed to be a better upgrade for the M1. I have not heard them but they have got very good reviews.
 
An another option will be Head Direct Re-Zero, It has almost the same clarity and detail as that of RE0 and does not need an amp to show its true potential like the Re0. Also it is not as thin or boring as Re0.
 
Just my 2 cents.
 
 
 
 
 

 

[charliehuang7]

any idea where we can get silver bullet nowadays..